However loathed the European Union may be in the depths of society, it is much loved in its upper echelons. And in particular it is much loved by career politicians in the upper reaches of our political caste at Westminster. Political grandees can look to the EU to maintain their importance, and self-importance, in the evening of their careers without undergoing the inconvenience of democratic elections. They know that the EU Commission offers a profusion of well remunerated sinecures to prominent politicians, comfortable berths with generous salaries & expenses, that are matched by gold-plated EU pensions, conditional on their continued support for the “aims and interests” of the EU. And such a generous paymaster can be confident that continued support for its aims and interests will be forthcoming.

Far-sighted parliamentarians early in their political careers, while they still have to submit themselves to democratic procedures, can see the promised land ahead. So it is that the leaders of our major parties in Westminster are all in favour of Britain’s continued membership of the EU. But that is not the only service that they render to their patrons in the celestial EU Commission, whose flag is a ring of stars.

The entire caste of our political leadership actively participates in the EU’s campaign of concealment, and of deception of the public. Elected government ministers pass off the policies and laws of the secretive and unelected EU bureaucracy as their own. They keep the public in ignorance of initiatives from the EU, and of governments’ obligation under EU law to make those directives into law in their own countries. The British public especially is kept in ignorance of EU reality, such as the utter futility of the EU Parliament, which the public assumes can create laws and reject proposed laws. Whereas under EU law the EU Commission creates all EU legislation, the EU Parliament none, and the EU Parliament has never managed to vote down any of the Commission’s laws. To do so it needs an Absolute Majority of all its “constituent members”, that is all the 750 MEP’s wherever they are, not just of the usual hundred or so voting in the EU Parliament in Brussels or Strasbourg, at any time. So to reject or amend the Commission’s laws, 375 MEP’s or more have to vote No in the EU Parliament. Very rarely if ever have that number even turned up there.

Another reality hidden from the British public is that the Protocols & Privileges of the EU Constitution give the “officers and other servants” of the EU a lifelong legal immunity from prosecution, for any acts they commit in their EU employment. This means that they can use any means necessary, legal or illegal, to further the “aims and interests” of the EU. The ominous and sinister shadow of Europol, the federal EU police force, looms over and above critics of EU rule. Let dissidents beware !

But whatever discomfort and oppression dissenters against the EU will endure [perhaps Brian Leveson’s Star Chamber], career-minded politicians in Westminster can look forward to their future reward in the celestial Commission. For them will be the gold-plated sinecures and pensions, their reward for a lifetime of good and faithful service, service to the EU – the gift that keeps on giving. Like our first prime minister, Robert Walpole, the EU Commission knows that every man has his price.